Folding chair



w s. ANSELM. FOLDING CHAIR- APPLICATION FILED APR. 5. 1922:

Patented Aug.

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- WILLIAM B. ANSIELM, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA.

FOLDING CHAIR.

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Application filed April is,

To all whom it. may concern.

Be it known that I, WILLIAtrlB. Ansnmr, a citizen of the United States, residing at Norfolk, in the county of Norfolk and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Chairs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in folding chairs, wherein the back and supporting members or legs are adapted to be folded-into small small compass for storage or transportation.

The improved chair comprises a seat portion, to which a back is hingedly connected and provided with a member for supporting the back in proper raised position from the seat. Front and rear legs are pivotally connected to the seat, and means are pro vided to hold the legs in operative positions. The parts are so relatively arranged as to provide for close folding without undue projection.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the improved chair.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the chair parts in folded relation. I

The improved chair comprises a seat portion 1, preferably a flat, board-like section of appropriate length and width. A back portion 2 of similar form and material is hinged at 3 to the seat forwardly of the rear edge thereof. A back brace 4 is hinged to the rear side of the back at 5, and is: adapted to be operatively arranged at right angles to the back, with its lower edge resting on the seat beyond the back. A catch 6 carried by the back brace 4: is adapted to engage the rear edge of the seat, to hold the back in elevated position agamst casual displacement when the seat is not occupied The front leg 7, which is preferably or flat board-like form, is hingedly connected at 8 to two cleats 9, arranged in spaced relation transversely of the under side of the seat at the forward end. The front leg -when in operative position bears against the forward edge of the seat to prevent abnormal movement of the leg in one direction. A. brace strip 10 serves to prevent the opposite movement of the leg, thus holding the leg in operative position relative to the seat. The brace strip 10 1s pivotally connected at one end to a block 11 secured centrally Specification of Letters Patent.

.Paten'ted Aug. 15,

1922.. Serial 1%, 549,746.

. to the under side of the seat, and formed at theopposite end with a notch 12 to engage a metallic strip 13 bridging a slot 14 in the leg. The slot 14 continues as a slotto the upper end of. theleg, to provide for a folding movement of the brace-strip, as will later appear.

The operative end of brace strip 10 does not extend entirely through the leg 7 when the parts are connected, and the forward face of the walls of the slot are cut away to provide an enlargement 15, through which the end of the brace strip 10 may be conveniently reached when disconnection is desired.

The rear leg 16 is formed of two sections, secured in spaced relation by metallic strips 17 and 18. A slot 19 is thus formed throughout the length of the leg and the slot is enlarged at 20 to accommodate the block 11 in the folding operation later described. The upper end of leg 16 ishinged at 21 directly to the lower surface of the seat, preferably directly below the hinged connection of'the back with the seat. A

brace strip 22 is pivotally supported on turned upwardly against the bottom of the seat, after releasing the strip 22 from the strip 17. I In this movement of the leg the strip 22 rides through the slot 1 9 of leg 16, and so upwardly against the seat, the strip 17 causing the folding movement of the brace strip as the rear leg is moved. The rear leg rests squarely against the lower surface of the se,at,,as the enlargement 20 of the slot 19 provides space for the block 11, without interference. The front leg 7 after disconnection of the brace strip 10, is folded onto the rear leg 16, the thickness of the cleats 9 being substantially that of the rear leg. On this movement of the front leg, the brace strip 10 is moved upwardly by the strip 13, the brace strip 10 riding into the slot 19 of leg 16 already folded, and its end finally resting between the cleats 9.

The top is then, or has been previously foldedvdown onto the seat, the eback brace being folded against the back as shown. I

Both front and rear legs may be cut away at their lower ends to provide spaced bearing leg ends 24, or the leg ends may be otherwise formed as desired.

The chair which is preferably constructed of flat sections of wood, is thus cheaply and easily made, and is particularly adapted for transportation and convenient use in those situations where an ordinary chair, even of the folding type, would be of little practical value. For example, as an extra automobile tonneau seat, or as an additional seat in those types of automobiles having a divided front seat. In this latter use the improved seat will be of a size to fill the space between the front seats, and may be readily folded out of the way when not desired for use.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

A folding chair having a seat a front leg movably secured to the seat, a rear leg inovably secured to the seat, brace strips movably secured to the seat between the legs, and means on each leg to interlock with a brace strip to hold the leg in operative position, the front leg being formed with a slot extending above said means to permit movement of the brace strip in the folding operation, the rear leg being formed with a slot throughout the length thereof to receive both brace strips in the folding operation.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILLIAM B. ANSELM. 

